Ask HN: Wrist Pain

[matt1]

I've been a heavy computer user for more than a decade and I think all those hours are finally taking a toll on my wrists. About a year ago the discomfort was so intense that I switched hands so that now I use my left hand both at work and at home. The problem is that my day job has me at a computer for 35-40 hours/week and then I come home and program for another 20-25.

Currently there's kind of a dull, persistent numbness 24/7. Also, when I bend my wrists too far forward or backwards, I feel a sharp pain on the back of my hands. I also occasionally wake up at night and notice that they're numb, which I've read is a symptom of carpal tunnel.

I've tried a few ergonomic changes including a new chair, adjusting the monitor position, and a wrist pad for my keyboard and mouse, and even a wrist brace a portion of the time, but the discomfort persists. I asked my doctor about it a few months ago and he gave me a 20 page packet with the usual diagrams showing where my head should be positioned in relation to my monitor and things like that, but not much of it was practical "do this" advice.

I'd like to work on a startup in a few years and this is a major concern.

I figure a lot of you have had similar problems. What worked for you?

[geuis]

Too many of these suggestions are impelling you to try different gadgets to fix what is a bio problem.

You need to work out.

Over a year ago, I was starting to get the beginning stages of RSI. I smoke and was really overweight. I had never been to a gym.

The thing that fixed my wrists was pushing weights. Putting aside the other workout stuff I do (biking, rowing, and moderate running) because they don't pertain to this discussion, moderate weight lifting is key.

The muscles and tendons in your wrist are weak. Mine certainly were. Adding to that the 8-10 hours a day of keyboard typing, you develop RSI.

When I started using weight machines, my wrists were numb and I had flexibility problems. Simply using upper-body weight machines for several months quickly helped to increase my upper body strength, but more importantly let my wrists develop strength they didn't have before. Ever since my wrist problems have completely vanished.

So yes, ergonomic keyboards are definitely useful, even though I don't personally use one. The text editor you're using has absolutely to fucking do with problems with your wrists. Get an ergo keyboard if you feel like it. It won't hurt and will probably help.

However, if you absolutely want to solve your pain you need to work out. Pushups and upper-body workouts are what you need. No body-building crazy shit, just moderate strength training 2-4 times a week for a half an hour at a time.

On the broader workout subject, weight lifting is the fun part of the workout for me. The biking/rowing bit are just tedious calorie burners. When you lift the weights, you're immediately releasing endorphins into your system. So after a good session, you actually feel good.

[lutorm]

As a longtime RSI sufferer, I agree with the need for strengthening. However, working out is a long-term preventative measure, not for when you are inflamed and in pain!

If your muscles and tendons are struggling, the last thing they need is more to do. I would strongly recommend doing whatever you can to give your hands a break for a while, and then start strengthening. And for giving your hands a break, you should absolutely feel justified in getting whatever ergonomic gadgets you think will help.

If you are suffering from numbness, that means your nerves (ulnar nerve, etc) are irritated. There are indications that this is not just a hand problem, but is due to postural problems in the upper back and neck from sitting statically in front of the computer for long hours. Google "thorassic outlet syndrome".

I highly recommend you check out the following books:

"It's not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome", http://www.amazon.com/Carpal-Syndrome-Therapy-Computer-Profe...

"Trigger point therapy workbook", http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Tr...

I give these books a lot of credit for my almost complete recovery.

[grinich]

Exercise will also improve your posture, settle your appetite, clear up your skin, and help your mental focus.

but try not to get caught up in the hype of gadgets. pushup bars and ab-machines usually just collect dust. jogging, crunches, and pushups are fine. If there's a college nearby, grab your sweats and run their stadium on the weekends.

also-- crossfit.com has a new workout everyday which is short and intense. good if you don't have very much time.

rock climbing is also fun, great for your hands, and a good way to meet cool people.

along these lines, the best workout is the one you don't notice. you'll run more in a pickup soccer game and have more fun than if you go out for a jog.

[joe_the_user]

(Btw, Aside from hacking, I'm a martial artist, body worker and qigong practitioner, I've dealt with my own tendon problem for fifteen years and I'm feeling really healthy at the moment, so this is a good topic...)

Paying attention to your body is much closer to the problem than gadgets - but I believe that "work out" often isn't close enough. For every story of "working out" helping someone, I suspect you will find a couple stories of it injuring someone. Sadly, normal computer use general involves considerable insult to the proper use of your body. Putting further strain on your arms and legs through weights and other devices has often resulted in a further problems for people.

Certainly there are some bodies that are helped by this - one must always keep in mind how much variation in bodies there is in we biological humans and not assume one person's solution will automatically work for another person, meaning you.

That said, what I'd strong suggest is that you need is to become aware of the proper use of your own body. One good resource for this: "The Alexander Technique". Another: qigong in general and http://www.qidao.org in particular. Yoga has helped some though I'm dubious - Yoga is also more harsh disciple, people say good things about Feldenkrais. Another very good thing to try is Tai Chi. There various solutions out there aren't mutually exclusive but approaches that are gentle and gradual tend to be best in my opinion. Gentle and gradual - if nothing else, remember that.

[chipsy]

Seconding this, and also: look to diet simultaneously for the purpose of gaining strength. Your body, not your mind, makes the decision on whether your wrists get stronger, and simply ensuring that it gets more protein and fewer antinutrients can make all the difference.

I found that regular mice gave me a lot of wrist problems after years of playing FPS games with a "death grip." I use trackballs and trackpads now. I understand that other people have trouble with trackpads so YMMV.

[futuremint]

On top of regular exercise, I also notice that staying properly hydrated and making sure I get enough B vitamins also helps. I try to drink water 1:1 with the amount of coffee I drink if not more. And some cheap vitamin supplements for the B vitamins work well.

I have similar wrist pain that comes and goes, and when it gets bad I just take it easy and make sure to drink a lot of water and that tends to ease the pain.

Also taking over the counter anti-inflammatories can help in the interim period until you gain some wrist strength. I don't take any drugs regularly, and I notice that 2 ibuprofen in the morning usually takes care of it for 24 hours. Obviously you're not going to want to take them every day for a long time :)

Lastly try to pay attention to what you do with your hands when you sleep. If you tend to curl your fingers under your pillow or something it can make the muscles cramp up overnight and make the pain worse.

[kbaribeau]

Yes.

You could also see a physiotherapist.

A good one will give you exercises you can do to strengthen the muscles in your wrist. Mine gave me things I can do while I'm sitting in my chair thinking, or just on a quick break while still in the office.

Anyway, I agree with the parent: gadgets might help, but the real fix is likely exercise.

[spyrosk]

Could you describe a bit more the numbness and inflexibility you experienced when you started using weight machines?

I used to work out a while back, 3 to 4 times per week, and one of the things that made me stop (besides boredom to be frank) was that I felt quite a bit of pain in the wrists. I've kept that exercising schedule for 4 months at a time, but the pain didn't go away in those periods. My thought was that I was damaging my wrists in some way.

How long was it until you stopped feeling numb? Did you use any restraining device (gloves or something like that) while working out?

[bmelton]

I agree with this 100%, and would also add that (while a workout will typically do it on its own) you should fix your posture immediately.

One of the major things I notice when my wrists start getting irritated is that if I sit up straighter it helps. There are nerves running from thumbs to mid-back, and posture affects them immensely. Simply sitting correctly may (or may not, depending on how bad you habitually sit) be easier than exercise and provide more immediate remedy.

Still, exercise. Definitely.

[tel]

Second the general message here!

Specifically, rock climbing absolutely puts your wrists through the gamut. The strength and flexibility building you'll go through will demolish RSI.

[akamaka]

I agree, and also suggest playing guitar, if you like music. It helps in a few ways: switching the activities of your hands (left hand gripping the guitar neck, instead of right hand gripping the mouse), it builds finger strength, and most importantly, you have to keep your hands loose and sensitive as opposed to the robotic motions of hammering at the keyboard.

[fugue88]

Ditto.

When I had problems with my wrists, I started to play the piano, a lot. I would bang on the keys fortzando and make a lot of noise (the noise got better over time :).

I also had a small stress ball that I would squeeze as hard as I could several times throughout the day.

After two or three months, the pain, numbness, and swelling were gone, and have never come back these last dozen years.

[0wned]

I had the same symptoms, started exercising my hands and within two weeks, no problems at all. I highly recommend this approach.

[mechanical_fish]

First: You need to take this very seriously. "Dull, persistent numbness 24/7"? Get thee to a doctor who will react to this news with action. If nothing else, get referred to a physical therapist.

Don't use pads or braces without medical advice. You can actually injure yourself more by bracing your arms, wrists, or hands against things.

Don't assume your wrists are the problem. I have had occasional wrist pain or numbness for twenty years, most of which turns out to emanate from a nerve pinch in my shoulders. Doing certain shoulder exercises makes the wrists feel great. Again: find a doctor or a PT who will give you specific advice.

Don't think that gadgets and gimmicks are the whole solution. They can be useful -- I swear by my Kinesis Advantage keyboard, I have Ergotron monitor arms to put monitors precisely where they need to be, I have a keyboard drawer with an adjustable arm to adjust height, tilt, and distance and with an attached mouse support that I've tinkered with to get the height correct -- but this is secondary stuff. The real secret for me is exercise, strategically placed pillows and cushions [1] and, of course, rest breaks. Get some software that orders you to take breaks, like Workrave or AntiRSI for the Mac. Try not to learn to ignore the software.

Get into shape. You would be surprised at the extent to which walking and biking will improve the health of your wrists, not to mention the rest of your health.

EDIT: Oh, and codedevine is right: Be very careful using laptops, and don't use one for any length of time. They force you into specific postures which are generally terrible. I get away with using mine for one or two days at a time, but only because I've been diligent with my health.

---

[1] For the back, not the wrists. Don't rest your wrists on things!

[matt1]

I recently read a post you made about two years ago where you advocate spending $2K getting set up (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=104977). On behalf of everyone you've helped with your responses to these threads, thanks.

Btw, I met you last week at the HN Startup Bootcamp meetup. I remember you vividly because everyone else was like, "Hi, I'm Dan" and you came up and were like, "Hi, I'm mechanical_fish" Ha. I was sitting across from you for a good chunk of it :) Hope your Drupal endeavors are going well.

[amanfredi]

I second the Kinesis Advantage keyboard. I haven't had any wrist pain since I started using it (and I'm typing more now than I did before).

[ShabbyDoo]

I've had carpal tunnel syndrome, but it was a result of excess IV fluid infusion after an accident rather than from repetitive stress/strain. In my case, it got better a little on its own, and a cortisone injection pretty much fixed it.

One strange advantage of having had this injury is that I can tell the difference between carpal tunnel-like pain and other sorts of muscle fatigue. So, I can feel that I've been over-doing it with, say, a laptop keyboard and take corrective action.

For me, the Microsoft "natural" series keyboards have been a huge benefit. If I use a regular keyboard for more than a few days in a row, I start to feel wrist pain.

Another commenter suggested seeing a physical therapist. At least in the US, you might be better served seeing an occupational therapist who specializes in hand/wrist injuries. My wife is a PT, and her education did not include any special training on repetitive stress injuries.

However, as suggested by this same poster, your first stop ought to be a physician who actually gives a damn. You might call a hand surgeon's office and which physicians tend to send RSI referrals and then make an appointment with one of them.

Now, I'm on to picking out a good chair...

[stuntmouse2]

Numbness, especially persistent is a strong warning sign. Don't ignore it like I did!

First off, you should see a qualified physical therapist (someone who knows the wrist) immediately. She will help you change your setup to be more ergonomic and probably give you some light exercises. Another benefit is that she can measure the problem, allowing you to track your progress and the effectiveness of any treatment.

Next, I can recommend a few products that have really helped me out:

Number one, make sure your keyboard is big enough if you're using a laptop. I used to use an IBM Thinkpad X31, the keyboard was way too small and that was the beginning of my serious wrist problems.

Next, for mice, I heartily recommend the Evoluent Vertical Mouse. There is a bit of a price premium, but these are great optical mice for those with wrist issues. I have two, one for right and left that I switch between if I feel any pain or tingling.

For keyboards, I've stuck with the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro. Once you have it at the right height, and you're using it at the right angle, this makes a fine keyboard.

Best of luck. I got over this completely and so can you.

[sachinag]

Don't use wrist braces - they're for immobilization, not pain mitigation. If you need to persist in the same activities (and you really should look into PT), the ACE bandage wraps are the best to "offload" stress: http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Braces-and-Supports/A...

You don't want the heavy velcro braces: again, they're for immobilization, not for pain mitigation.

[akeefer]

I would disagree about not using wrist braces; my doctor recommended I use one when I was experiencing wrist pain several years ago, and it helped a lot. A lot of RSI conditions are caused by pinched nerves, and the immobilization of the wrist prevents the sort of bending that leads to pressure on those nerves, allowing it to slowly be relieved over time. They don't help mitigate the pain, they help treat the cause of the pain. It helped me to wear them while working, but I also got a lot of benefit out of wearing them while I slept, ensuring that my wrists were perfectly flat and healing.

[hy3lxs]

How I solved my own carpal tunnel after too much quake^H^H^H^H^Hcoding.

(1) Take some time off. If you can't do that, for your own sake take a break at least once an hour where you yawn/stretch and drink lots of water. This will help your body repair itself and turn your bladder into an internal timer to take a break. Seriously, it works.

(2) Wrist position is the _key_: hands must be straight extensions of the forearms. Angling up/down or side/side is a no-no. If one hand hurts more than the other it could be a mouse issue.

(2a) If you don't know what the "ideal position" feels like, then wear IMAK ergobead gloves which have this hard strip inside (like an injury brace) that forces you into the correct position. Wear these for several weeks until the pain recedes and you've "learned" the proper position. Think of them as training wheels for your wrists. Try them on in a store to make sure you get the right size (I think Fry's carries them).

(3) If you mouse a lot, consider an IMAK ergobead mouse wrist rest. All other wrist rests I've tried are either too hard or not supportive enough. If you're cheap, make your own bean bag (double-ziplock some small dry beans/beads/whatever, fold it in half, and put a thin towel over it). Think Japanese buckwheat pillow for your wrist.

(4) At minimum get an "ergo" keyboard where there is that split in the middle. If you can afford it get one of the fancier ones that have continuous levels of adjustment. I've tried Kinesis and Goldtouch to good effect. If you have small hands the Microsoft ergo keyboard may be too large for you.

(5) TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS or someday you will not be able to type. See rule #1.

Oh, and use vim for home-row navigation ;-)

To the "bio" guy: it's actually a mixture of gadgetry (so that your hands are in the right position with less effort) and having stronger arms (so that your hands can be held in the right position without getting tired).

Undisclosure: I have nothing to do with IMAK whatsoever but after trying lots of different product lines, their products were the only one that subtracted from the pain instead of adding to it in the long run.

[rit]

All of the things you've tried are steps down the right path, but I hate to say the one thing I don't see you mention is a new KEYBOARD.

The keyboard is a tool you use every day, during those 40 hours. A poor keyboard is guaranteeing murder on your hands. I had issues for years, which were/are exacerbated by an injury I sustained when I was younger (nerves, all tendons and significant portion of artery destroyed in my left hand, which required extensive surgery).

The one change I have found, repeatedly, that has made the most significant different is a keyboard. I won't go overboard in recommending any particular setup, as I find different people have different preferences - I find the best relief in mechanical switch (I used das keyboard for years but have moved to majestouch recently as DKs have wonky controllers), but a lot of people swear by ergonomics, etc. I can't use ergonomic/split hand keyboards well because of limits on my bad hand, but YMMV.

One of the best resources I've still found is from JWZ, who talks about all the different steps he went through in his own wrist pain:

http://www.jwz.org/gruntle/wrists.html

Another set of things I recommend is to make sure you use your muscles in different things than just typing. Get a stress ball and some light-weight finger exercisers (You can usually get them at guitar stores, it has a spring loaded "weight" for each finger and you can flex individually).

I am by no means a doctor, but I've dealt with a lot of re-constructive therapy on my own hand, and my own typing issues (seriously, look into a better keyboard. The $20 membrane switch piece of crap that came with your computer is NOT helping things at all). On top of it my mom was an OR nurse for ~30 years and had hand issues of her own that stemmed from the fact that apparently holding medical instruments in one position for ~12 hours a day is bad for your hands too.

Make sure you get good tools, not just augmentation (like padding) to the tools you already have. And give your stressed muscles other things to do, so you aren't just straining them in the same positions and actions day after day.

[htsh]

I had luck with the book "Its not carpal tunnel" or something -- http://bit.ly/Ocwy5 .. It suggested some stretches, one which worked in my case.

My pinky and half my ring finger were going numb from the bottom of my wrist sitting on either the desk or the laptop, and the exercise that worked for me involved holding my arm straight out away from me and repeatedly twisting it at my shoulder.

I found a good doctor in Chinatown, NY who recommended the book and suggested stretching daily instead of looking to any of the various surgeries suggested by other doctors.

[ars]

If you ignore this you will end up not being able to tie your shoes or button your shirt.

Pretend that already happened - how would you work? Whatever method you choose, do it now. Don't wait till you can't function.

[cperciva]

I had symptoms similar to those last year; the most specific symptom I had was numbness and occasionally tingling/pain in the back of my hand. I:

1. Got a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 and used that instead of my laptop's keyboard.

2. Got a mouse (Microsoft something, I think?) and used that left-handed instead of my laptop's touchpad.

3. Wore wrist splints.

4. Refused to lift anything heavier than my (5 lbs) laptop.

After about 3 months my wrists were back to normal.

I'm not sure which of the above helped, and I don't want to re-injure myself in order to be able to conduct properly scientific trials; but I suspect that the largest factor was keeping my wrists straight (not bending my hand up or down OR left-to-right) with the wrist braces mostly serving just to get in my way and prevent me from unconsciously lifting anything heavy.

Hope this helps -- sorry I can't be more specific.

[matthew-wegner]

I've been wearing "computer gloves" for 10 years, and like them a lot. People made fun of me when I got to college; those same people asked me where to find them after a few semesters (cg/digital art school, so a lot of people going from little computer use to full days).

Sounds like your hands are pretty trashed, so I doubt these will be a magic bullet. Go see someone, start working out, take breaks, etc. But give these a try too:

http://www.softflex.com/

Note that wearing any wrist support sporadically will probably be worse than wearing none at all. You'll discover this the first time you need to type a bunch and don't have them on you (it won't happen more than once or twice, since it's acutely noticeable).

[froggy]

Completely agree with geuis above. You need to work out. I had the same problem 2 years ago when I was programming long hours (dull persistent numbness, and eventually sharp pain). I self-diagnosed it as wrist tendonitis and wore a splint brace for a few weeks. Once the wrist felt better, I got back to the gym and started doing light weights with a sort of stretch bandage on my wrist. Also bought a resistance hand grip to squeeze whenever I could and did hand/wrist stretching exercises daily for a few months.

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_wristten_rex.htm

This fixed it within a couple months and I haven't had a flare-up since.

[watmough]

Get a trackball. Learn to use it with either hand.

Don't work so hard.

[tdavis]

Another personal anecdote: I developed severe pain in my mousing wrist and switched to a trackball. Within a week of switching all pain was gone.

[icefox]

And don't give up after a few days. It took me a month or so to learn how to get the pixel accuracy that I had with the mouse that was a month without pain. Moving your thumb v.s. moving your wrist really helps.

[s3graham]

I'm sure this worked for you, but for me a trackball made things much worse. It seemed to be more weird movements in my thumb/hand.

I do notice that if I'm not doing much work (i.e. more browsing with the mouse) things are worse than when I'm working hard (i.e. more Vim)

[dstorrs]

There's plenty of good suggestions in here, so I'll just add a small pointer: SmartBoard keyboards from DataDesk Technologies. "Oh, go buy an ergonomic keyboard!" sounds like trivial advice. A few years ago, I had wrist pain--not as bad as yours, but plenty sufficient to scare me. I bought this keyboard, and it vanished. They are also durable: I've had one for 5-7 years, I use it 8-10 hours a day every day and it's just starting to lose some keycaps.

The only problem is that they are almost impossible to find.

[jacoblyles]

I use the Microsoft Ergonomic keyboard and it made a world of difference. A simple wrist pad like the OP has is not equivalent to a good ergonomic keyboard.

[nostrademons]

#1 thing you can do to help your wrists: don't rest your them on your keyboard/desk/wristpad. Don't rest them on anything. Your hands should float above the keyboard, with the wrists straight.

I've found that switching to a Dvorak layout helped a lot - because I had to touch type (I didn't physically change the keys, and didn't get stickers or anything for them), my hands naturally floated over the keyboard. Also helps if your elbows are above the keyboard. Various ergonomic keyboards may help too.

[frossie]

Thinks that worked for me for wrist pain:

1. Make sure you sleep with your wrists in a neutral position (i.e. straight - neither bent back or bent forward). Use wrist wraps if you absolutely have to, but better if you can manage it by force of will, or changing your sleeping position.

2. I am not sure about the ergonomic gizmos - but I replaced my keyboard with a MUCH smaller keyboard ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Hacking_Keyboard ) - there's nothing gimmicky about the keyboard except that it is short - that means that you have to reach a lot less for the mouse. This helped me enormously.

HOWEVER. It is possible that if you are experiencing wrist pain and numbness that you do not have a problem with your wrists at all but with your shoulders (pinched nerves) or other upstream body part. You really ought to ask for a referral to a specialist. If you are in the US, look for a member of American Association of Electrodiagnostic and Neuromuscular Medicine (AANEM).

What they can do (if they rule out carpal tunnel) is do a nerve test (caveat: it hurts) to pinpoint what nerve or muscle is causing the issue.

It's your livelihood - take it seriously and shake the medical profession tree until you can find someone who can help you.

[seven]

Had a wrist infection caused by intense bmx riding. Only thing that could fix it was to force myself to let it rest. Rest all the time, no exception.

And a somewhat ugly experience. After my first big project I had a visible 'bubble' (size of a big coin) beneath my skin at my wrist. As every idiot would do, I ignored it. It did not disappear after some weeks and I went to see the doctor: 'We need to cut that open!' .. so.. as a good coward would do, I assured the doc that I would come back.. and stayed home.

Now comes the ugly part: After living with my bubble for several more weeks, I made a certain movement... and this bubble thing cracked inside my wrist and I felt the fluid rushing into my arm. I paniced a bit.. but I am still alive and my wrist is fine. No pain at all, btw.

I told a friend about my experience. He took me to my office, asked me to show my 'programming position'. Then he told me the same stuff your doctor told you. (I guess.) And he was right.

I would suggest that you pay more attention to your body. I know it from myself, that sometimes you really want to make that last test case pass, before paying attention to the pain in your back. This is not good.

I do most programming on a big sofa, where I can easily change position. When forced to work in an office I never use the keyboard sitting on the desk. I find it much more comfortable to let it rest on my lap.

General rule: If you do not feel comfortable, change it.

More advice: Never write tec on a german keyboard. :)

Take this serious and try to see another doctor.

Hope you get better soon.

[sb]

I had really strong tendonitis (endured 1 month of pain) and this is what I did:

* Got hardware: Kinesis Freestyle (which is not the Advantage, but still highly recommended!) and the Kensington Expert Mouse (which is probably the best trackball around)

* Started using workrave on work and home computers; using intervalls of 48 work : 12 rest minutes. Workrave includes some excercises which are highly recommended. There are also a couple of excercises you can do at your workplace, I used: http://www.ehs.utoronto.ca/services/Ergonomics/exercise.htm

* Started to excercise: 3 x running a week (-> check runnersworld.com excercise plans, please use a hrm if you are beginning slowly); after 1 year I can run > 10 miles without any problems and it even resolved my troubled back problems. Compensate this with upper-body training, crunches, push-ups, and pull-ups. Running with small 2 pound weights is very good for strenghening wrist strains without being forced into a gym -- I clearly prefer nature, even in winters. (Seeing green trees and breathing forrest air certainly is relaxing in its own right, too.)

* Diet. When I was in college I ate pizza twice a day. While essential (nomen est omen) at that time, I put on a lot of weight and did not feel good. Now I try to eat salad at least once a day, start with a healthy breakfast and never eat after 8pm. In addition to that I eliminated any form of soda -- the carbonic acid is not good and can lead to gastritis or worse. Watered down ice-tea or apple juice alternating with mineral water or just water (if it's drinkable in your geography).

[sever]

I used to have "chronic" wrist pain for 8 years, and have now been completely pain free for just over a year.

Saw many doctors, many bouts of physical therapy, many batteries of tests - steroid injections, nerve conduction, MRIs, rheumatologists, chiropractors, acupuncture, etc, none of that was helpful.

In the end exercise cured it. Now and again I had hints that exercise could help, I'd do bicep curls, or reverse curls, and it made the pain recede, but the relief wouldn't stick.

A year ago, I started doing wall push-ups, 1 set, daily, in the morning. In the beginning, I couldn't do one without pain. No fixed schedule, I just kept growing reps, still one set, having rest days when it seemed appropriate, probably about once a week. In 3 months I could 100 wall push-ups, with no significant discomfort. I'd also have a break of about 1-2 hours after the exercise, before I had to start typing for work.

At some point I added "finger extensions" -- wrap rubber band around the fingers, and straighten them, the load is the reverse of typing where you need force to curl you fingers. It seemed like a good idea to balance the load on the muscles. I'm don't recall when I added them in, my best guess is that they helped, I think the wall push-ups were the main thing.

When I started, I could type about 5000 keystrokes per day (so about 300 words), with pain, on a datahand keyboard. As things progressed, I increased keystrokes, then eventually switched to a Microsoft Natural keyboard, and recently to a regular one, with essentially no limitations on how much I type, and with no discomfort.

After 8 years of pain, my outcome has been nearly miraculous. Perhaps this will be helpful, and I hope a similar experience is waiting for you. Best wishes.

[viraptor]

You didn't say what keyboard are you using. Is it just the standard, straight one? Try something more curvy, like ms natural keyboard.

I've never had any major problems with my wrists, just some slight discomfort from time to time... but man, does that keyboard make a difference!

Also you could configure your desktop to be more accessible with keyboard only. Less switching between keyboard and mouse == faster work and fewer useless movements.

[matt1]

I use one of those flat white mac keyboards on one computer and a normal Dell keyboard at home, and another normal Dell keyboard at work. I think I'll try out one of the curvy Microsoft ones as a start. Thanks for the feedback.